AeroVironment (AVAV) Secures U.S. Army Prototype Agreement for Switchblade 400 Loitering Munition

TLDR

• AeroVironment has received a U.S. Army prototype agreement for its Switchblade 400 loitering munition as part of the LASSO program.
• Weighing less than 40 pounds, the Switchblade 400 is a man-portable, medium-range, anti-armor drone that can strike targets from up to 65 kilometers away.
• This new agreement comes after a $186 million delivery order in February 2026 and a contract worth nearly $1 billion awarded in August 2024 for other Switchblade models.
• For fiscal year 2027, the Army is seeking about $110 million to procure LASSO systems, with a total of nearly $1.2 billion planned from FY26 through FY31.
• The financial terms of the new prototype agreement were not revealed by AeroVironment.

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(SeaPRwire) –   The U.S. Army granted AeroVironment (AVAV) a new prototype agreement on Monday for its Switchblade 400 loitering munition, marking another in a series of recent military contracts for the company. At the announcement, AVAV stock was trading down 1.17%.

AeroVironment, Inc., AVAV

This agreement integrates the Switchblade 400 into the Army’s Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program. LASSO aims to enhance the loitering munition capabilities of mobile brigade combat teams operating in contested areas.

AeroVironment (@aerovironment) today announced that the U.S. Army has awarded a prototype agreement for the Low-Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program.

Switchblade also known as “Lightweight Tank Destroyer” is AV’s medium-range, man-portable, anti-armor… pic.twitter.com/RBHkbM5dqb

— Counter Unmanned Systems (@CUAS_NEWS) May 4, 2026

The Army has been transparent about the operational shortfall it intends to address. According to budget documents, mobile brigade combat teams currently do not have the inherent ability to eliminate tanks, armored vehicles, and hardened targets with minimal collateral damage across diverse terrains and conditions. The LASSO program is the solution for this gap.

Specifically designed as an anti-armor weapon, the Switchblade 400 can neutralize moving tanks and armored vehicles at ranges up to 65 kilometers and can be set up by one soldier in less than five minutes.

The complete system weighs 39 pounds and is engineered to be compatible with common launch tubes. It can loiter at speeds up to 70 miles per hour and achieve a sprint speed of up to 90 miles per hour.

The munition operates on AeroVironment’s AV_Halo command-and-control platform, making it the first loitering munition specifically developed for that ecosystem.

Equipped with EO/IR sensors and aided target recognition, the system can independently detect and classify targets during both day and night. It is also compatible with tactical networks like ATAK and Nett Warrior.

A key feature emphasized by the Army is the capacity to cancel a strike after the mission has begun. This represents a significant advantage over traditional munitions when civilians are present or in rapidly changing combat situations.

Growing Army Relationship

This latest award extends a significant ongoing partnership between AeroVironment and the Army. The company secured a contract valued at nearly $1 billion in August 2024 for Switchblade 600 and 300 variants to meet a Lethal Unmanned Systems Directed Requirement.

A subsequent delivery order for $186 million for Block 2 versions of these systems was placed in February 2026. Following the selection of the Switchblade 600 for the initial phase of LASSO, the Army has been evaluating additional platforms for the program.

AeroVironment introduced the Switchblade 400 the previous fall. The company stated that this new prototype agreement will accelerate the system’s development, delivery, and testing.

The monetary value of the new agreement was not made public.

Army Budget Signals Long-Term Commitment

The Army’s budgetary intentions provide insight into the level of planned investment. The service is asking for approximately $110 million for LASSO procurement in fiscal 2027. It has outlined plans to invest close to $1.2 billion in the program between fiscal years 2026 and 2031.

Subsequent phases of the LASSO program are anticipated to concentrate on increasing range, improving lethality, and offering a wider array of payloads for engaging non-armored targets.

AeroVironment is not the only participant in the LASSO program. Textron Systems reported earlier this year that it also secured a prototype agreement for its Damocles platform under LASSO, though the value of that deal was similarly undisclosed.

The Army’s budget request for LASSO in FY27 is approximately $110 million.